A further sighting is even more spine-tingling. The area, an inhospitable and incredibly inaccessible place, proved to be a logistical nightmare for rescue workers. 2) He first entered the service in 1776. ). On 29th December 1972, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 came crashing out of the sky and into the Florida Everglades. The crash was followed by reports of the appearance of apparitions of Flight 401 crew members, including Captain Loft, on subsequent flights. Inexhaustible walker, gambler and pugilist, he was also a friend to Royalty. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Death. Related To Victoria Loft, Joan Loft, John Loft, Rebecca Loft. On one particular occasion, on Flight Tri-Star 138, while performing her normal duties, she could clearly see the face of Repo in the oven door in the planes kitchen. John Stockstill is the first officer and Robert Loft is the captain. [5]:2729, A company employeetechnical officer Angelo Donadeo, 47, returning to Miami from an assignment in New Yorkaccompanied the flight crew for the journey, but was officially an off-duty, "nonrevenue passenger". One of them had worked with the dead pilot years earlier and positively identified him. The celebrated explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott (1868-1912) also famously took part in the race to claim the South Pole in 1911, but sadly failed in his mission and died on his return journey. Real Paranorms. Edgar Allen Poe By Portfolio Editor Roz Hamlett Unlike many ghost tales, this one - which originated . 75 survived the crash67 of the 163 passengers and eight of the 10 flight attendants. Resend Activation Email. The plane was cruising at 227 miles per hour when it crashed into the ground. Fuller describes anecdotes of strange happenings aboard other Eastern aircraft. It is said that Don Repo would appear only to warn of mechanical or other problems that needed to be checked. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Posted in. During this time, the planes autopilot system was set to maintain the planes altitude at 2,000 feet. It turned out that the passenger was Bob Loft, the captain who died on a flight from New York to Miami in December of 1972. . Template:Unreferenced Over the following months and years, employees of Eastern Air Lines began reporting sightings of the dead crew members, captain Robert Loft and second officer (flight engineer) Donald Repo, sitting on board other L-1011 (N318EA) flights. GREAT NEWS! 1 (port) engine, and fragments from the port wing itself and the port tailplane. Perhaps they carried with them a sense of guilt at missing the altitude drop? [12][13] The training is designed to make problem solving in a cockpit much more efficient, thus causing less distraction for the crew. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. 3,400-year-old palace from a mysterious civilization revealed by drought. The disintegration of the aircraft that followed scattered wreckage over an area 1,600ft (500m) long and 330ft (100m) wide in a southwesterly direction. NPS. The tower was radioed and Flight 401 was instructed to enter a holding pattern while the cockpit crew investigated the issue. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. And when you're aboard Fish Tales Fishing Charters with Captain Robert, you're guaranteed to have a great time. Based on Fuller's book, it focused on the ghost sightings surrounding the aftermath. Jocelyne LeBlanc works full time as a writer and is also an author with two books currently published. 17 Mar 1917. Maybe the salvaged pieces of Flight 401s wreckage also contained the final energies of the crew. Sightings of the pilots on Eastern Airlines planes began in the immediate months following the accident. Of the 176 people on board, 101 lost their lives in the tragedy. Over the following months and years, rumors began circulating that employees of Eastern Air Lines were reporting sightings of the dead crew members, captain Robert Loft and second officer (flight engineer) Donald Repo, sitting on board other L-1011 (N318EA) flights. A Halloween Tale: Kennedy Airport, Flight 401 and the Walking Dead. When the individual walked across the aisle to get a better look at this man, the apparition said, Hi, Im Don. Fourteen survivors had various degrees of burns. At around 5:00am, this person closed their eyes and after feeling as if someone was near, this individual opened their eyes to find someone sitting in the aisle seat. The account of the crash and its outcome was documented inJohn G. Fullers 1976 bookThe Ghost of Flight 401. Coincidentally or not, the entire galley area where the flight attendants saw Repos face was made from materials recovered from the downed Flight 401. The event is free and open to the public. One reserved for the living perhaps. Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from New York to Miami. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Stockstill died instantly in the impact as the plane crashed into the swampy Florida Everglades. A TV movie. . And recently, one passenger has come forward explaining their paranormal encounter. The Ghosts of Flight 401, part of the Discovery+ series Shock Docs, focuses on the supernatural legacy of the crash. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. [6]:110, Investigation into the aircraft's autopilot showed that the force required to switch to CWS mode was different between the A and B channels (15 and 20lbf or 65 and 90N, respectively). Things swam below the surface of the swamp, things dressed in rags and tattered clothes. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. There is a problem with your email/password. The Incredible Captain Barclay. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Flight 401 made three trails through the sawgrass, breaking into pieces as it circled on its axis in the Everglades National Park. Captain Robert Loft and First Officer Don Repo were among those who had perished in the crash, and the crew of other Eastern Airlines planes insisted their ghosts made appearances on-board later . Robert Albin "Bob" Loft. Loft, satisfied the bulb was the culprit . Robert Bain Loft was born circa 1863. The Captain, along with one of 2 flight crew members, two of 10 flight attendants and . Many believe they have seen his ghost, however, and that of his black horse, near the main terminal. Captain Loft died before he could be pulled from the wreckage. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest articles directly in your inbox. At that point, this person noticed that the older lady who was sitting across the aisle wasnt there anymore and that another crew member was sitting in her seat (also wearing an Eastern Air Lines hat). Subsequent to these press stories, The Ghost of Flight 401 was published in 1976. Of the cockpit crew, only flight engineer Repo survived the initial crash, along with technical officer Donadeo, who was down in the nose electronics bay with Repo at the moment of impact. The other crew members assisted Stockstill, but he also became distracted by the problem. Frank Borman, prior to becoming CEO of Eastern Airlines, arrived at the scene after the crash to assist with rescue efforts. Apparently, some of the equipment that was salvaged from the wreckage had been used in other L-1011 planes with Eastern Air Lines which has many people believing that the ghosts of those who passed away are still connected to that equipment. As he was a VIP, the vice presidents was allowed on . [15][16][17], These stories speculated that parts of the crashed aircraft were salvaged after the investigation and refitted into other L-1011s. The Eastern Airlines flight had just impacted into the ground. When she returned to her seat with the stewardess following behind her, both women saw who was later identified as Don Repo just fade away and vanish before their eyes. Captain Robert Albin Loft (Left), First Officer Albert Stockstill (Middle) and Second Officer Don Repo (Right) The flight departed JFK Airport on Friday, December 29, 1972, at 9:20 PM, with 163 passengers and a total of 13 crew members on board. [6], The flight was under the command of Captain Robert Albin (Bob) Loft, age 55, a veteran pilot ranked 50th in seniority at Eastern Air Lines. His flight crew included First Officer Albert Stockstill, 39 and . The final conversation gave investigators enough of a clue to then piece together the timeline that led the pilots to be in the fatal position they found themselves. Robert Smith (The Captain) Replied on November 13, 2022. And was informed by the dead officer, There will never be another crash! Robert lived in 1891, at address, Kentucky. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Captain Robert is a local expert on inshore fishing, and he knows all the best spots for catching . Additional information. Military records provide the following information concerning Captain Robert Yancey. aired in February 1978. Robert Loft, First Officer Albert Stockstill and Second Officer Donald Repo steered Flight 401 toward Miami International Airport after an uneventful flight from New York. Coincidence? Morris Town Aprl 28th 1777. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Cleveland acquired 150 acres near the Lewis Fork in what is today known as the Purlear Community by 1778. While he has not yet been reported in planes over Heathrow, the airport itself is said to contain the spirit of the highwayman, Dick Turpin [3] who was sentenced to death for his crimes of brutal robbery in 1739. Over time, the reporting of ghost sightings stopped. Required fields are marked *. 20 strangest facts about dreams that you never heard of. Cremated, Ashes given to family or friend. Based on the book, it dramatized the crash, rescue efforts, and NTSB investigation. We have set your language to This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Investigators believe the autopilot switched modes when the captain accidentally leaned against the yoke while turning to speak to the flight engineer, who was sitting behind and to the right of him. I was just frog gigging went, a face looked up at me from below the surf. An original floor board from Flight 401 remains in the archives at History Miami in South Florida. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 departed New York's JFK airport at 9:20 in the evening enroute to Miami International Airport. Captain Robert Loft and Second Officer Donald Repo survived the crash, briefly. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. BOWEN, ROBERT Ancestor #: A012726 Service: VIRGINIA Rank: CAPTAIN Birth: 1740 AUGUSTA CO VIRGINIA Death: 25 Aug 1817 HICKMAN CO TENNESSEEService Source: SUMMERS, HIST OF SW VA 1746-1786, WASHINGTON CO, 1777-1870, P 853 Service Description: 1) COL WILLIAM CAMPBELL, MAJ WILLIAM EDMISTON 2) WASHINGTON CO MILITIA Posted by Dawn Quinn on 9/26/2002, 10:27 pm. To use this feature, use a newer browser. The story was that parts of Flight 401 were salvaged after the crash investigation and . The film was based on Fullers book, and it concentrated on the ghost sightings that came into being after the incident. JAMES ROBERT ''BOB'' LOFT , 55, of Aurora died Nov. 23. These rumors speculated that parts of the crashed aircraft were salvaged after the investigation and refitted into other L-1011s. The crew began to panic. Robert Loft, 55; First Officer Albert Stockstill, 39, and Second Officer Donald Repo, 51, all of Miami-Dade. Although they were much less, so did sightings of Bob Loft. The tragedy was also the 2nd deadliest plane crash in US history . But that doesn't change the fact my plane, in this case, a Boeing 737, was undeniably visited . This person greeted the male (in his late 40s or early 50s) who was wearing a pilots uniform and a captains hat that read Eastern Air Lines. The Lockheed L-1011 carried 163 passengers and 13 crew members. Subscribe Today! Robert Albin Loft believed it was just a faulty bulb issue. 26.24 - MU Plus+ Podcast - The Demigods of Brahma, 26.23 - MU Plus+ Podcast - Safe and Radioactive, More on the Matter of Bob Lazar, "Containers" and Stolen Souls: A Sinister Saga of UFOs and Demons, Researchers Test Soil and Rocks from Mount Ararat for Minute Chemical Signs of Noah's Ark. Post a Response.